Making social engagement pay off!

Commitment to social responsibility helps companies in winning new customers. Besides the CSR activities themselves proper communications is the key. A recent study reveals considerable potential for companies particularly in the German market.

In fact, about 37% of all customers in Germany are willing to reward socially responsible companies by paying more for their products and services. Worldwide, even every second customer says he supports Ethical Consumption yet. This is the result of a recent CSR report by the pollsters of Nielsen who questioned more than 29,000 people in 58 countries.

However, it is e.g. just 26% of the people interviewed in Germany who actually translate this attitude into action. This hidden potential can be readily used by companies: at first, they have to make their customers aware of their social activities at all. This sounds quite simple, but in fact communications departments often miss to capitalise on the facts provided by the CSR officers of their companies. Secondly, social activities have to be presented in a way which either offers direct benefit to the customer or motivates him to support the company’s engagement for other parties. And besides releasing the right messages also respective media and communications channels have to be chosen deliberately – in advertising, in PR as well as in sales.

The conclusion of the Nielsen study is “a clear signal for companies that there is a lot of leeway in this country for adequate CSR activities to win and retain customers”, analyses Ingo Schier, managing director of Nielsen Germany. So it’s high time for companies to not only engage in social affairs but also making their efforts pay off.